BRENDAN - Hybrid cars are definitely a hot item, with more and more
manufacturers producing their own versions of the modern gas-saver.
Taking a design cue from its old sub-compact Tercel, Toyota has really
hit the jackpot with the 2001 Prius. This high-mileage vehicle is a
money-saving commuter as well as a practical road trip traveler.
Utilizing a gas-and-electric drivetrain, the Prius can take a
30-something workaholic to and from the daily grind with reliability and
speed, or transport the family to dinner and a movie, as long as the
kids are small and relatively lightweight.

MIKELE - For a small car, the Prius rides pretty well and it has
good control over the bone-jarring pot-holes that are common on
America's bumpy roads. It's a little bouncy when there's four adults
onboard, but that's the nature of modern econoboxes. Up front, the roomy
cabin and upright seats accommodate drivers and passengers of all sizes,
although it's something of a strain for "shorties" to see out the side
windows. But my 85-year-old grandmother is on the tall side and she had
plenty of legroom, and so did my dad. Actually, he was a little cramped
but that's to be expected when you're six-foot-five. The family dogs
loved the big back seat but being young and exuberant, they quickly
developed the habit of jumping up front between the two front seats over
the low console. A slightly higher armrest would be nice because it
would give a more comfortable place for the driver to rest a tired arm.
I kept a few dog biscuits in the cupholders to keep the canines at bay
while I was on the road, and the retractable head restraints made good
pillows for the tired pups.

BRENDAN - I liked the hidden CD player because it was neatly tucked
away out of sight, but a six-disc changer would have been lots better.
The audio system is displayed on a small dash-mounted screen that also
serves as a reminder of gas consumption and average mileage. It is also
used as a display for an optional navigation system but our loaner
didn't have one. The screen shows an informative schematic of power
distribution, whether it's on full gas or electric or both. This is all
located below an instrument cluster that is directly in the center of
the dash, displaying a digital speedometer and the gear selection
quadrant. I didn't like the column-mounted select-lever because it
blocks some of the screen and audio controls while in the Drive mode. A
floor shifter would be a better choice. Once it's underway, the Prius
gets up and goes lots better than I expected and it has remarkably good
passing power. The gasoline engine is a 1.5-liter all-aluminum
four-cylinder that uses variable valve timing to increase its efficiency
across the full rpm range while keeping the emissions low.

MIKEKE - I drove the Prius to work several times. It's a long and
stressful journey but the Prius performed as well as any of the all-gas
econoboxes we've tried. When you're taking off from a standstill, it
gets underway using the electric motor but then the gasoline motor
blends in seamlessly. Once I got going to normal speed, the Prius
handled great. The suspension uses MacPherson struts and L-beam lower
control arms like most cars today and when you're driving it, you're not
aware that it's something "special." But once I got into San Francisco
traffic, I found myself the object of attention. When I parked, people
crowded around it asking every question you can imagine. The Sierra Club
isn't known to be Big-Business friendly, but it gave the Prius the
"Sierra Club Award for Excellence in Environmental Engineering," a
first-time award.

BRENDAN - The 14-inch alloy wheels gave it a cool, Euro-appearance,
and I saw a lot of young hot rodders taking a second look. It was the
hit of the dealership where I work and most of the salesman asked for a
spin in it. It's the first time I'd seen Honda salesmen get excited over
a Toyota.

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